According to the Chinese Ministry of Education, more than 330 official institutions are teaching Chinese as a foreign language around the world. The majority of the students are from other countries. Unfortunately, it's impossible for everyone wishing to learn Chinese to take a course in the country of origin. That's why online services offering one-on-one tutoring are very valuable. These services aim to promote Chinese language and culture, support local Chinese teaching internationally, and facilitate cultural exchanges. Students who enroll in these types of programs are able to speak directly with someone from China, so they see great results in just a few weeks. All the teachers are authentic Mandarin speakers, which helps with pronunciation. Learning Chinese benefits anyone in "the West" or from countries that make up China's largest trading partners' such as U. Now more than ever, it's crucial to learn this language and gain better knowledge of one of the oldest cultures in the world. Pursuing higher education will come with great benefits, as well as pitfalls. This article will examine both to help you choose. The top advantages of continuing education include: The Bureau of Labor Statistics depicts that individuals earn more with each educational attainment. As an example, compare the following median weekly earnings by educational attainment: · Workers with Associates Degrees - $785/week · Workers with Bachelor's Degrees - $1066/week · Workers with Master's Degrees - $1300/week · Workers with Doctoral Degrees - $1624/week Furthermore, unemployment rates decrease the higher up the educational ladder one climbs. Another study by Global Business Hub showcased how heading back to school opens up employees' eyes about new technological and work trends. Interacting with other leaders, or soon to be leaders in the business also provide key networking opportunities that may come in handy in the future. Ultimately, higher education provides a competitive advantage over one's peers or in the workplace. Continuing education is also convenient and completely feasible, given that online colleges are plentiful, and can also be completed with reputable colleges offline. Working adults can pursue new goals or even make a career switch - on their own schedule. The top disadvantages of continuing education include: More on student's plate - in addition to work and family life, students returning to an online degree school in adulthood will need to squeeze in time for school as well. Taking on more than one can handle seems like a recipe for disaster. However, many working adults make this work by creating a schedule and carving a disciplined mindset. Inform family and friends to chip in, or forego partying for a period of time until the goal of higher education is complete. A strain on finances - while many working adults have the advantage to earn while they learn, higher education is not considered to be a drop in the bucket. Fortunately, there are many programs to help offset these added expenses including student loans, as well as affordable monthly payments offered by some colleges. Recreation Takes a Back Seat - a study by the Global Business Hub stated that adult students are less likely to take vacations. However, this shouldn't deter one from pursuing higher education, as reminders constantly exist that this situation is temporary. In the end, despite the cons of continuing education, the balance is tipped in students' favor in the long run. As a reminder, this includes higher pay, better job security, and increased confidence. With the economy being in the shape it is many people are afraid to start a new business right now, but others say that now is the best time, as fortunes are made during times of recession. But what if you have a great idea for a business but lack the funding? Well, if you you are looking for one of the small business grants for women to begin a new business you may be in luck. Some people will tell you that there is no such thing as money to start a business, but if you are in the field of technology or want to start a non-profit organization, you may be surprised to find that there are grant opportunities available. For example, the Small Business Technology Transfer program awarded $1,012,075 to a company to develop web or CD-delivered virtual reality tutors. These tutors were to be used to explain concepts visually and with sign language to deaf students in grades 5-8 with low English skills. But what if you are no looking for a grant quite that large? Maybe you just need one to get your business off the ground and prove that it has growth potential. If so, you may get lucky and be able to find assistance through your state. And, if you are a woman, you may qualify to receive small business grants for women, especially since sometimes this type of business owner is given priority treatment. You will want to be sure to check with your local government and agencies to see if they have any grants for women business owners that you may qualify to receive. Plus you can always look to see if you qualify for any funding from grants. Of course, you will need to get a business plan ready so you know how much money you need and where you plan on using it. And, if you can incorporate a non-profit part to your business, you stand an even greater chance at obtaining some of those small business grants for women. And be sure to keep an eye out for a variety of funding opportunities, as sometimes you can make your business fit into a a funding category with some minor changes. At a recent corporate storytelling workshop for Microsoft, I was asked a question that I hear frequently: "How do I open my speech? " Several others in the room agreed that the first two or three minutes of a speech are often the most awkward. Do you have a hard time getting started, but once you get going, you're all right? In this article, I'm going to share what has worked for me and helped me build a lucrative speaking business. I'll also share the results of my research into what transforms a good speech into a Dynamite Speech. I used to have a lot of anxiety before I gave a speech. I knew most of what I was going to say - not word for word - but in general. I knew what stories I was going to tell and what quotes I was going to use, and the overall sequence of things. What freaked me out was what I was going to say first. I knew that telling a joke was out of the question because I can't remember jokes. Plus, any rule that is supposed to work for everyone - such as "always open with a joke" - is obviously a stupid rule! If there is one thing that I've learned from my own experience as well as from other speakers, it's that there is no ONE single way that works for everyone. One day I was at the theater, sitting in the audience waiting for the curtain to go, and I had a revelation. I remembered all of the plays I had acted in and how the first line of each play was specifically chosen to set the stage for everything that came after it. That got me thinking about the most powerful speeches I'd ever heard. They all started out with something meaningful. They didn't start with the speaker thanking anybody or talking about how wonderful it was to be in Buffalo, New York in January (because it's cold as heck). The first words out of their mouths were meaningful. They said something provocative or asked a provocative question. I also realized that while I'd seen people start out with loud rock or disco music as they ran up the aisle from the back, for me, the most powerful openings were simple and direct. Here are a few options for opening your speech, taken from my Dynamite Speech System. Opening #1 - The Provocative Statement or Question Opening Walk out to the center of the stage or room. Let the silence sit there for a few seconds to build anticipation. Then, make a provocative statement such as: If you want your content to stick, emotion is the fast lane to the brain. Another option is to ask a provocative question such as: When you give a speech, do you talk too much? Notice how each of those statements is a bit contrarian. I love to combine two elements that are logical opposites. The idea that you will get content to stick to the brain with emotion is illogical. The idea that you can talk too much while giving a speech is provocative. What can you ask or say as your opening that will set up one of the main points of your speech? Let the statement or question hang there in space. Find a provocative quote that seamlessly introduces your main point or premise. Stories are an immediate attention grabber and activate your listeners' imagination. Make sure you choose the right story to open with. Your Crucible and Imbroglio stories need to go in the middle of your speech. Choose a story that makes one of your main or the main point of your speech. You may begin the story up front, take it through to Step 4 - Encounter the Obstacle, and then stop. You can then close your speech with the resolution of the story, beginning with Step 5 - Overcome the Obstacle. Another option is to tell the entire story, make the point and then move on. If you've done your homework and used a pre-program questionnaire to discover the issues your audience is facing, you can open with a few statements that let them know that you understand their pain. Three or four sentences that address their current situation are all that you need to create a bond and let them know you're not going to give a generic rah-rah speech. Perhaps you can mention the name of someone in the audience who you spoke to on the phone before the meeting or conference. Then, give a speech that customizes your concepts and solutions to their needs and issues.